JP-1121998 A 700 series train on Nozomi service

The 700 series (700系 Nanahyaku-kei) is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type built between 1997 and 2006, and entering service in 1999.  This series formed the next generation of shinkansen vehicles jointly designed by JR Central and JR-West for use on both Tokaido and San'yō Shinkansen lines.

The 700 series is characterized by its flat 'duck-bill' nose designed to reduce the piston effect as the trains enter tunnels. 16-car units are painted white with blue stripes beneath the windows, and are used for Nozomi, Hikari, and Kodama services on the Tokaido and San'yō Shinkansen lines, while 8-car units used for the San'yō Shinkansen Hikari Rail Star services have a darker livery (grey with black window areas and a yellow stripe beneath the windows) which also acts to visually deemphasize the units' nose area, resulting in a more streamlined impression.

This postcard shows a N700 train on Nozomi service.  Nozomi (のぞみ, "Wish") is the fastest train service running on the Tokaido/San'yō Shinkansen lines in Japan. The service stops at only the largest stations, and along the stretch between Shin-Osaka and Hakata, Nozomi services using N700 series equipment reach speeds of 300 km/h (186 mph). 

The Nozomi trains stop at fewer stations than the Hikari and Kodama trains. On the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Nozomi trains stop at Tokyo Station, Shinagawa Station, Shin-Yokohama Station, Nagoya Station, Kyoto Station, and Shin-Ōsaka Station. On the Sanyō Shinkansen, all Nozomi trains stop at Shin-Kobe Station, Okayama Station, Hiroshima Station, Kokura Station, and Hakata Station, but certain trains stop at additional stations as well. The Nozomi train service is not valid for foreign tourists travelling with a Japan Rail Pass.

Kanae of Chiba, Japan (Postcrossing, July 2018) sent me this great train postcard.

The Great Wave off Kanagawa (神奈川沖浪裏 Kanagawa oki nami-ura)

The Great Wave off Kanagawa (神奈川沖浪裏 Kanagawa-oki nami ura, "Under a wave off Kanagawa"), also known as The Great Wave or simply The Wave, is a woodblock print by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾 北斎). It was published sometime between 1829 and 1833  in the late Edo period as the first print in Hokusai's series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. It is Hokusai's most famous work, and one of the most recognizable works of Japanese art in the world.


The image depicts an enormous wave threatening boats off the coast of the town of Kanagawa (the present-day city of Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture). While sometimes assumed to be a tsunami, the wave is more likely to be a large rogue wave. As in many of the prints in the series, it depicts the area around Mount Fuji under particular conditions, and the mountain itself appears in the background.

Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (富嶽三十六景 Fugaku Sanjūrokkei) is a series of landscape prints by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai (1760–1849). The series depicts Mount Fuji from different locations and in various seasons and weather conditions. Mount Fuji is a popular subject for Japanese art due to its cultural and religious significance. 

Each of the images was made through a process whereby an image drawn on paper was used to guide the carving of a wood block. This block was then covered with ink and applied to paper to create the image. The complexity of Hokusai's images includes the wide range of colors he used, which required the use of a separate block for each color appearing in the image.

The series was produced from c. 1830 to 1832, when Hokusai was in his seventies and at the height of his career, and published by Nishimura Yohachi.  Besides the original thirty-six, there was an additional 10 more images.

Eastermost point of Japan and Cape Nosappu Lighthouse

Cape Nosappu (納沙布岬 Nosappu-misaki) is a point on the Nemuro Peninsula, Nemuro, Japan which is the easternmost point in Hokkaidō. It is also the easternmost point in Japan which is open to the public. It is located where the waters from the Pacific Ocean meet those from the Sea of Okhotsk. The Cape Nosappu Lighthouse  (納沙布岬灯台 nosappumisaki tōdai) located at this cape is the oldest in Hokkaidō, built in 1872.

Jerry Wang who visited this spot sent me this great postcard (27 July 2017)

JP-850123 Ninna-ji (仁和寺) temple (Kyoto, Japan) in winter

Ninna-ji (仁和寺) is the head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. The temple is located in western Kyoto, Japan. Ninna-ji was founded in AD 888 by the retired Emperor Uda. It is part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto", a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This postcard showing the part of the temple in winter time came from Tamami (29 July 2016) Postcrossing.

JP-755838 The Isumi Line (いすみ線 ) in Chiba Prefecture, Japan

The Isumi Line (いすみ線 ) is a railway line in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, operated by the third-sector railway operating company Isumi Railway Company. It extends through the central eastern section of the Bōsō Peninsula, linking Ōhara Station in the city of Isumi, where it connects with the Sotobō Line, to Kazusa-Nakano Station in the town of Ōtaki, where it connects with the Kominato Line.

The history of Isumi Line can be traced back to 1925 with the construction of a railway line in that part of Japan.  Kihara Line (木原線) began providing rail service. Over the years, this Line became a loss making service provider. Isumi Line came into being on 24 March 1988 following the transfer of the assets of the Kihara Line (owned by JR East) to the newly formed third sector operator Isumi Railway Company.

This postcard came from Mika (26 November 2015) Postcrossing.

JP-698332 Maiko - an apprentice Geisha

Geisha (芸者) (also known as geiko (芸子) in Kyoto) are traditional Japanese female entertainers who act as hostesses and whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music, dance, games and conversation, mainly to entertain male customers.

Apprentice geisha are called maiko (舞子 or 舞妓). The white make-up and elaborate kimono and hair of a maiko is the popular image held of geisha. A woman entering the geisha community does not have to begin as a maiko, having the opportunity to begin her career as a full geisha. Either way, however, usually a year's training is involved before debuting either as a maiko or as a geisha. A woman above 21 is considered too old to be a maiko and becomes a full geisha upon her initiation into the geisha community. However, those who do go through the maiko stage can enjoy more prestige later in their professional lives.

This postcard from Hitomi (22 July 2015) Postcrossing shows a meiko with her characteristic white make-up.

JP-695070 Nabegataki Falls

The area north of Mt Aso is well-known for its onsen baths but numerous waterfalls dot the hills as well.  One of these waterfalls is Nabegataki Falls. It is located in  Kumamoto prefecture.

The size of Nabegataki Falls is not large (10 metres in height, 10 metres in width) but it is beautiful. One can climb behind the waterfall to see how the water has carved out the rock over the years.and view the flowing water. Nabegataki Falls is a great spot for both amateur and professional photographers The light that filters through the trees creates an impressive backdrop.  The area lights up every year in May and the Nabegataki Falls freezes every winter, so there is a variety of views.

This postcard came from Satsuki (26 June 2015) Postcrossing.

JP-696603 Tokyo Gate Bridge

Tokyo Gate Bridge (東京ゲートブリッジ) is a truss cantilever bridge across Tokyo Bay in Kōtō, Tokyo.  This bridge is part of a new four-lane highway ringing Tokyo.  Construction began in 2002 and it was opened on 12 February 2012.

A nickname for the bridge is  'Dinosaur Bridge' (恐竜橋) This is because of its unusual (rather gawky) shape.  It looked like two monsters facing off.

The rather unusual design of this bridge is a result of opposing requirements: to be high enough to allow large ships to pass underneath, but low enough not to interfere with air traffic to the nearby Haneda Airport. It is a double cantilever bridge and is 2,618 metres in length and 87.8 metres high.

This postcard came from Takako (30 June 2015) Postcrossing.

JP-688861 - Kanazawa Prison - a wood print from Japan

On the front of this woodprint are the words:

金澤監獄 which means “Kanazawa Prison” followed by 中央看守所 “Central Guard Room”.  The year is indicated by 明治四十年 which is “Year 40 of Meiji reign (1868-1912)” which corresponds to 1907.  This was the year that Kanazawa Prison was built.  石川 “Ishikawa Prefecture” indicates its original location. According to Hiromi who sent me this card, the prison is a cultural treasure and it has been moved to Meiji Mura ,which is a theme park in Aichi prefecture.

On the back of the postcard is 木田安彦: 作 which means “Created by Yasuhiko Kida" - so obviously Yasuhiko Kida is the wood print maker.
 

This postcard came from Hiromi (12 June 2015) Postcrossing.

JP-649527 The crater of Mount Aso ( 阿蘇山 )

Mount Aso ( 阿蘇山 ) is the largest active volcano in Japan and is among the largest in the world. It stands in Aso Kujū National Park on the island of Kyushu. Its peak is 1592 m above sea level. Mount Aso has one of the largest calderas in the world (25 km north-south and 18 km east-west). The caldera has a circumference of around 120 km (75 mi).

[ Note: A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption.]

This postcard from Yoko (Postcrossing) shows the crater of Mount Aso.

 

JP-629448 The Hokuto (北斗) service between Sapporo and Hakodate in Hokkaido

The Hokuto (北斗) and Super Hokuto (スーパー北斗) are limited express train services between Sapporo and Hakodate in Hokkaido operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). Train services between these two locations started as early as 1949.  Super Hokuto services started on 1 March 1994. The journey time of the Super Hokuto is approximately 3 hours. This is faster than that of the Hokuto by 30 minutes due to the higher speeds through the many curves of the line between Sapporo and Hakodate.

 

 

This postcard shows the Hokuto service - the train is a KiHa 183 series DMU.  The postcard came from MoToko S. (28 January 2015) Postcrossing.

JP-608396 JP-737485 & JP-755870 Himeji Castle姫路城

Himeji Castle (姫路城) is a hilltop Japanese castle complex located in Himeji, in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprising a network of 83 buildings with advanced defensive systems from the feudal period. The castle is frequently known as Hakuro-jō ("White Egret Castle") or Shirasagi-jō ("White Heron Castle") because of its brilliant white exterior and supposed resemblance to a bird taking flight.

Himeji Castle dates to 1333, when a fort was built on top of Himeyama hill. The fort was dismantled and rebuilt as Himeyama Castle in 1346, and then remodeled into Himeji Castle two centuries later.

Himeji Castle is the largest and most visited castle in Japan, and it was registered in 1993 as one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the country. The area within the middle moat of the castle complex is a designated Special Historic Site and five structures of the castle are also designated National Treasures. Along with Matsumoto Castle and Kumamoto Castle, Himeji Castle is considered one of Japan's three premier castles.

This postcard was sent by Aiko (25 November 2014) Postcrossing.  The stamp shows Matsue Castle - (松江城, )  a feudal castle in Matsue in Shimane prefecture, It is nicknamed the "black castle" or "plover castle" and it is one of the few remaining medieval castles in Japan.
I have received a second postcard of Himeji Castle.  This one came from Masayo (16 October 2015) Postcrossing and shows the castle in springtime.

The third postcard of Himeji Castle shows the castle in wintertime.  This postcard came from Katsao (27 November 2015) Postcrossing.

JP-605375 Type E3 of the East Japan Railway Company

East Japan Railway Company  (東日本旅客鉄道株式会社) is a major passenger railway company in Japan and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English and as JR Higashi-Nihon (JR東日本) in Japanese. JR East was incorporated on 1 April 1987 after being spun off from the government-run Japanese National Railways (JNR). JR East operates all of the Shinkansen, high-speed rail lines, north of Tokyo.

Some notes of the Type E3 Mini-Shinkansen

Currently the Type E3 trains are run as  6- and 7-car train sets. The Type E3 was introduced in 1997 and this type of train is run on the Tōhoku, Akita and Yamagata lines.  The top speeds are 275 kph (Tōhoku) and 130 kph on the Akita and Yamagata lines.

This postcard came on (18 November 2014) Postcrossing.

JP-581049, SW DS-296, JP-646119 JP-826744 Mount Fuji (富士山 Fujisan)

Mount Fuji (富士山 Fujisan) located on Honshu Island, is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776.24 m. It is an active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08.




A painting from "36 Views of Mount Fuji" by Hokusai Katsushika

Mount Fuji lies about 100 kilometres south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone, which is snow-capped several months a year, is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photographs, as well as visited by sightseers and climbers. It is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku.
This postcard shows Mihono-matsubara (Miho pine grove) 三保の松原 and Mount Fuji.  It came from Fumie (12 September 2014) Postcrossing.

 
The second postcard of Mount Fuji came from Erika (17 September 2014) Swap-bot.

The back of the postcard carries another Mount Fuji stamp.

This third postcard shows not only Mount Fuji but in the foreground Owakudani (大涌谷）Hot Springs which is located in Hakone  ( 箱根 ).

Owakudani (大涌谷）Hot Springs in Hakone  ( 箱根 ).

 The fourth postcard of Mount Fuji came on 12 Nov 2015 Swap-bot.

 My fifth postcard of Mount Fuji arrived on 15 June 2016 from Yoko (Postcrossing).

The sixth postcard that I have received of Mount Fuji came from Zoe of Texas, USA (US-4753171 - 27 July 2017) .  This postcard shows Mount Fuji and fields of yellow rape blossoms.

Asahikawa 旭川市

Japan

Asahikawa (旭川市) is a city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture and the second-largest city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo. It has been a core city since April 1, 2000. Asahikawa has a population of more than 350,000. The total area is 747.6 km2 (288.6 sq mi).

Asahikawa does not have a strong tourist trade but the city is well known for the Asahiyama Zoo and Asahikawa ramen. 

What is so special about Asahikawa ramen?
Sapporo is known for its miso based broth and Hakodate for its salt based broth. Asahikawa is however known for its shoyu (soya sauce) based broths. Shops serving shoyu based ramen can be found throughout the city. The broth of Asahikawa Ramen is also known for being quite oily, and there is often a thin layer of oil on top of the soup. Another characteristic of the local ramen is the generally thin, hard and wavy noodles. The range of toppings is quite typical and includes green onions, pork, bamboo shoots and eggs.

This postcard came from Miku (17 July 2014) Swap-bot.



 

Todaiji (東大寺, "Great Eastern Temple")

Todaiji (東大寺, "Great Eastern Temple") is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples located in the city of Nara, Japan. The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful that the capital was moved from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 in order to lower the temple's influence on government affairs.

Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden (大仏殿 “Big Buddha Hall”) is the world's largest wooden building, despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds of the original temple hall's size. The massive building houses one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha (Daibutsu).

Todaiji's grounds are spacious and cover most of northern Nara Park, including a number of smaller buildings in the hills to the east of the main hall.

The temple is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site as "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara", together with seven other sites including temples, shrines and places in the city of Nara.

This postcard shows Todaiji Temple and Kagami Pond in winter.  It was sent by Nahoko Matsumoto (28 April 2014) Postcrossing.

Kumamoto Castle (熊本城 ), Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

Kumamoto Castle (熊本城 ) is a hilltop Japanese castle located in Chūō-ku, Kumamoto in Kumamoto Prefecture.  It was a large and extremely well fortified castle. The castle keep (天守閣) is a concrete reconstruction built in 1960 but several ancillary wooden buildings remain of the original castle. Kumamoto Castle is considered one of the three premier castles in Japan, along with Himeji Castle and Matsumoto Castle. Thirteen structures in the castle complex are designated Important Cultural Property.

Kumamoto Castle's history dates to 1467, when fortifications were established. From 1601 to 1607 the castle was expanded, transforming it into a complex with 49 turrets, 18 turret gates, and 29 smaller gates. The smaller castle tower, built sometime after the keep, had several facilities including a well and kitchen. In 1610, the Honmaru Goten Palace was completed. The castle complex measures roughly 1.6 km (0.99 mi) from east to west, and measures 1.2 km (0.75 mi) from north to south. The castle keep is 30.3 m (99.4 ft) tall.  The castle was besieged in 1877 during a rebellion and the castle keep and other parts were burned down. 13 of the buildings in the castle complex were undamaged and have been designated Important Cultural Properties. In 1960, the castle keep was reconstructed using concrete.  From 1998 to 2008, the castle complex underwent restoration work, during which most of the 17th century structures were rebuilt.

The signature curved stone walls, known as musha-gaeshi, as well as wooden overhangs, were designed to prevent attackers from penetrating the castle. Rock falls were also used as deterrents.

This postcard came from hisoka of Nagoya, Japan - Postcrossing (April 2014) who has used several beautiful stamps.

JP-459112 Enoden and Mount Fuji, Japan

The Enoshima Electric Railway or Enoden (江ノ島電鉄 Enoshima dentetsu) connects Kamakura Station in Kamakura, with Fujisawa Station in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

The train line measures 10 kilometers in length with a gauge of 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in). It connects fifteen stations with a single track; five of those stations can accommodate two trains to allow bidirectional traffic. The trains operate on 600 V DC electric supply from overhead lines. The segment from Kamakura Station to Koshigoe Station is in the city of Kamakura; from Enoshima Station to Fujisawa Station, the line is in the city of Fujisawa.

Mount Fuji (富士山 Fujisan) the highest mountain in Japan, can be seen in the background of this postcard. Mount Fuji has an exceptionally symmetrical cone and is a well-known symbol of Japan.